Tray rack



June 9, R C; BURNLEY 2,043,605

' TRAY RACK f Original Filed June 27, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l jre/Q My am @Moc/MMA June 9, 193,6- R. c. BURNLEY TRAY RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 27, 1954 www Fume 9,' E936# R. c. BURNLEY TRAY RACK original Filed June 27, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 9, 1936 UHTED TATESi TENT oFFifeE Application June 27, 1934-,- Serial No.- '732,721 Renewed November 5,- 1935 9 Claims.

This invention relates to tray racks andY has for its object the production of a simple' andef cient tray rack for the purpose of conveniently supporting a plurality of piles of trays, one above the other, in such a manner as to permit the trays to be conveniently and easily reinovedfrom the rack.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a simple and efficient' meansfor sup- 10 porting the trays at a desired elevation whereby convenient removal by the patrons of the cafeteria or restaurant while passing the tray rack will be facilitated.

A further object of this invention is the pro- Vision of `a simple and efficient means for facilitating the supporting of the traysin an adjustable position whereby the rack may be raised or lowered as the trays are used or removed from the rack.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and efficient latchingmeansA for holding the tray rack in an adjustedposition.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a tray rackwhich i's'light` in construction and the parts of which are so arranged 3 Figure 2 is a front elevation of` the improved tray rack, a certain portion thereof being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 ofFigure l; 40 Figure fl is an end elevation of the tray rack,

a portion of the base being broken away;

Figure 5 is a Vertical sectional viewtaken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view throughj a portion of one end of the tray rack somewhat similar toI that shown in Figure 5, certain parts being removed and the sections of the raclrbeing shown in a lowered position;

Figure 7 is a section taken oril line T-l o'f Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a sectionV taken on line 8 8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a section taken on line 9--9 of Figure 7;

a base II having feet IZwhiol-l are adapted to 10-` rest uponI the iioor or other support.- Eachframe' IE! also comprises a pair'- of spacedvertically extending rails I3 which aresecured in' any suitable or desired manner tothebase I-Il, such" as is shown in Figure 43 these rails I3 beingpref- 15;

erablyfor-med ofmetal and carrying; transversely extending` stop pinsV Ill at their upper ends. Abutment brackets i l 5 are-carried near the lower ends ofV the rails I3; as shown in-Fig-urel.

A sectional` vertically extending end member 20- It` isslidably mounted upony the track: rails i3: of each end frame E05 through-fthe rn'ediurnlof` the apertured shoe blocks I1 through which-1 aperf tured shoeblocks ITL extend therails ISi-as shown inlFigure 7. versely of each end member I These sh'o'e blocks 1H are preferably three in number, as illustrated inthe drawings. The. sectional vertically extending end member I5 uponea'chrside of thefrarne comprisesa pair ofi sections Iiivl and 301 I9- whichl are arranged `in endl. abutting relation;` the upper section I91 carrying asleeve' 2lb which rits. over the upper end of.` the lower section' I8,` as shown in Figure 12.. The lower section I8 is notched as at 2I, for receiving the. transverselyu 345 extending pin` 22 carried by the sleeve 2.0.1 and assisting in anchoring the sleeve` in position.`

The lower sections I8- of the' en'dlmexnbersl I6` whichrare mounted upontheopposite sidesof the tray rack supports a transverselyextending tray rack supporting rail 23, the rail being fixedly secured? in any suitable or desired manner at its respective er1-ds as illustrated in the draw-ings.V

Due to the fact that the upper sections of.` the 5.

end: members ItY are removable,4 it will` be seen-'I that only one tray supporting' raili mayV be. used if desired, or two tray supporting. racks may be used, one above the other, forsupportingv two separate piles or groups of trays.` 50v The upper sections I9 of the end members lli support the transversely extending upper tray supporting rail 24, the rail being secured and anchored at its end inv any suitable or desired manner.

The shoeblocksA I1 extendtrans'- 25 In order to holdthese two'sections I8- 55` and I9 of the end members I6 against vertical displacement, a tie rod 25 is employed near each end, the tie rod being threaded into engagement with an anchoring bracket 25, at its lower end and passing through the longitudinally extending slots 2 in the upper rail 24, a nut 23 being threaded upon the tie rod 25 in each instance for preventing spreading movementl of the rails 23 and 24 relative to each other. Each tie rod may be provided with a laterally bent end 25 which may constitute a handle, if desired, for the purpose of facilitating the lifting or vertical adjustment of the track rack or end members I6 relative to the rails I3.

Suspended below the transversely extending tray supporting rail 23 is a substantially U-shaped hanger yoke 35, the yoke being secured at its upper ends to the rail 23 by means of suitable securing pins or bolts 3l. Pivotally secured to the yoke 30 are a pair of spaced trigger membersV 32 which may be of any suitable or desired design. Pivotally secured to these triggers 32 are arranged and supported laterally extending pull rods 33 and 34, the pull rod 33 being suspended upon a link 35 which in turn is pivotally supported upon a hanger strap 36 suspended from the lower rail 23, asshown in Figure 2. This link 35 in turn supports an arm 31 which extends through the yoke 35 and supports at its opposite end an arm 33 which is in turn supported at its lower end or secured to the pull rod 34. This will insure the uniform action of the pull rods 33 and 34 when the triggers 32 are actuated.

Each pull rod 33 and 34 carries at its outer end a transversely extending plate 33 which plate 35 in turn carries a pair of spaced locking lingers 45, the locking fingers 4t extending into suitable sockets 4I formed in the inturned shoe blocks Il carried upon either side of the frame, as illustrated in the drawings. The extremities of the fingers 45 are adapted to selectively engage the notches 42 formed in the rails I3 for the purpose of holding the tray supporting rails and 24 and end members I6 in a vertically adjusted position upon the rails I3. Suitable springs 43a are secured to the plates 33 in each instance and also to the intermediate shoes I1 upon the opposite sides of the frame so as to normally7 pull or hold the fingers 45 within the sockets 4 I When it is desired to vertically adjust the tray rack including the tray supporting rails 23 and 24, and end members I6 upon the vertical rails I3, the triggers 32 are compressed toward each other at their lower ends for drawing the locking lingers 40 out of engagement with the notches 42 of the rails I3. The entire tray supporting frame may then be raised to the desired vertical adjustment, any suitable or desired number of notches 42 being arranged in the rails I3 to provide for a suitable adjustment.

A coil spring 43 is anchored at its lower end, as at 44, upon the base II, and upon each frame I5, and the upper end of this coil spring 43 is connected to a pull rod 45, a similar pull rod 45 being carried upon each side frame l5, the pull rod 45 in each instance being slidably mounted through the shoe blocks I1. The lower block Il is cut out suiciently to permit the coil spring 43 to pass therethrough when the spring is in its extended position. The pull rod 45 in each instance is provided with a notch 45 near its lower end and this notch is adapted to be engaged by means of a locking finger 41 which is slidably mounted through the intermediate shoe block I'I.

This locking iinger 41 by engaging the notch 46 will hold the pull rod 45 in anchored engagement with respect to the adjacent end member I6 of the tray rack. A yoke 48 is carried by the locking linger 41 and extends through the intermediate shoe block l?, as shown in Figure 7 and carries coil springs 49 to normally hold the locking finger 4l in locking engagement with the pull rod 45 upon each side of the tray rack. Normally slack chains 50 are connected to the locking lingers 4l upon opposite sides of the tray rack and these chains are anchored, as at 5I, and 52, to the pull rods 33 and 34, the chains 5B being suliciently slack to permit the disengaging of the locking fingers 4l) from the rails I 3 and at the same time permit the locking linger 41 to retain its engagement with the socket 46 in the pull rod 45. In this manner, the locking ngers 40 may be disengaged from the rails I3 and the springs 43d carried by each frame Il) will be free to pull the end members I6 downwardly.

The locking linger 4'I upon each side of the tray rack will be held against accidental release through the medium of the trigger arm 53 carried by the transversely extending bar 54, the transversely extending bar 54 being pivotally mounted for swinging movement within the brackets 55 supported upon the end members I6 at opposite sides of the tray rack. Angularly bent handles 5G are carried by the ends of the transversely extending bar 52.

When it is desired to release the locking fingers 4l and permit the same to be withdrawn from engagement with notches 46, the triggers 53 may be swung out of engagement with the head 57 of the locking linger 4l, as is shown in Figure 8, by moving the trigger 53 to the dotted position and as the bars 33 and 34 are pulled toward each other, by the actuation of the triggers 32, the ngers 4l may be disengaged from the notches 46 of the bars 45 or if desired, the lingers 4l may be released by manually pulling upon the chains 50 at opposite sides of the rack.

As shown in the drawings, the end members I6 support the transversely extending tray supporting rails 23 and 24, and each of these rails supports a. tray 6U which is adapted to be firmly anchored in position, and upon which trays 60 may be stacked other trays in nested relation, such as is indicated in dotted lines in Figure l0. The trays are secured to the tray supporting rails 23 and 24 in a similar manner in each instance and it is thought only necessary to describe one set of securing means. Each rail caryokes 6I which are movable longitudinally upon the rails 23 and 24, as shown, and transversely extending pins 52 are carried by the yoke 6| extending across the top face of the rails 23 and 24, as shown in Figure 10. Each yoke 5I carries a pivotally secured tray engaging latch 53 which is provided with an inturned finger 34, the inturned fingers 64 of the latches 63 overhang the edges of the trays 65 for retaining the trays in a set position. A pivotally secured bolt E5 is secured to each latch 53, as shown in detail in Figure l0, the bolt extending down through the slotted portion 2l of the rails 23 and 24. Thumb nuts 66 are carried by the bolts 65 for facilitating the anchoring of the bolts in position and the locking of the tray clamps in a set position upon the supporting rails 23 and 24. The tray clamps constitute the yokes 5|, the latches 53, and the bolts 65. In order that the trays 60 may be eiciently supported and braced upon the bottom 75 thereof, laterally extendingfi angle` braces 6l` are secured to the rails 23-and124, as-shown inFigure. Z-to engage the bottom of the trays B;

From the foregoing description and by carefully consideringthe drawings, it will be seen that a very simpleandiecient means is provided for locking the endi'members i6 which carry the tray supporting rails 23 and 24 in a vertically adjusted position, the parts being held in their proper positions through the medium of the locking iingers 40. These fingers may be drawn out of engagement by the operation of the triggers 32 andthe tray rack properly adjusted to the desired height. The pull rods 45 after the end membersghave been raised to the desired adjusted position, may be pulled vertically and the locking finger 4l may then engage the notch 56. The pull rod 45 upon each side of the frame will then be under proper tension to automatically pull the end members and the tray supporting rails 23 and 24 constituting the tray rack downwardly when these pull rods 45 are released through the swinging of the trigger 53 out of engagement with the head 5l, and when the chain El) is pulled upon each side of the frame. This lowered position is shown in detail in Figure 6. The upper position is shown in Figure 5.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

l. A tray rack comprising a pair of end frames, end members vertically adjustable upon said end frames, a tray supporting rail carried by said end members, latching means carried by said end members and engaging said end frames for holding said end members in vertically adjusted relation upon the end frames, and means engaging said end members for exerting an even direct downward pull and for automatically lowering the end members relative to the end frames when said end members are released from the end frames.

2. A tray rack of the class described comprising a pair of end frames, end membersl vertically adjustable upon said end frames, a tray supporting rail connecting the end members, latching means carried by the end members and engageable with said 'frames for selectively locking the end memb-ers in an adjusted position upon said end frames, and means engaging each end member adjacent each end frame for exerting an even direct downward pull upon said end members and for automatically lowering the end members upon the end frames when said locking means is released, whereby said end members may freely slide downwardly upon said end frames without fear of jamming.

3. A tray rack of the class described comprising a plurality of end frames, each end frame comprising a pair of parallel track rails, end members carried adjacent said rails and provided With shoe blocks slidably mounted upon said rails, locking fingers slidably mounted through said end members, a tray supporting rail connecting the end members, said track rails having spaced notches for receiving said locking fingers for holding the end members in vertically adjusted relation upon said rails, springs for normally holding said locking ngers in a locking position, trigger means for withdrawing the locking ngers to an unlocking position, a pull rod slidably mounted through one of said shoe blocks, one of the shoe blocks carried by each end member, means passing through each end member and releasably engaging said pull rod, means for exerting a downward pull upon said pullrods whereby theend'members will be automatically pulled'` downwardly when said; pull rods arci released, and means for normally preventing the releaseof the pull rods Whensaidlocking fingers s are released.

4. A device of the'class described comprising vertically extending supporting tracks, a. tray supporting frame slidably mounted upon said tracks, locking means carried by the tray supporting means for engaging the-tracks for holdingthe tray supporting means in a `vertically adjusted position uponi said tracks, apullrod vertically adjustable with` respect to said tray supporting means. a locking meanscarried by the tray supporting means and engaging the pull rod for holding the pull rod and tray supporting means in respective anchored relation, means for normally exerting a downward pull upon said pull rod, means for holding said locking means against releasing action when said tray supporting means is released for sliding movement with respect to said tracks, and means for releasing the tray supporting means from locking engagement with said pull rod.

5. A tray rack of the class described comprising a plurality of vertically extending track rails, a tray supporting means slidably mounted upon said track rails, locking members carried by the tray supporting means and engaging the track rails for locking the tray supporting means in a set position upon the track rails, a pull rod having means for exerting a downward pull thereon carried adjacent the track rails and the tray supporting means, a locking member for locking the tray supporting means in anchored engagement with respect to the pull rod, a trigger for preventing the release of the last mentioned locking member when the rlrst mentioned locking members are released from said track rails for causing said tray supporting means to be automatically pulled to a lowered position, means for releasing said last mentioned locking member, and flexible means normally retained in a slack position connecting the rst mentioned locking members and the last mentioned locking member, and trigger means for actuating said locking members.

6. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of end frames, a tray supporting means comprising sectional end members adjustiably mounted upon said end frames, each sectional end member comprising a plurality of sections, tray supporting rails carried by the sections, a connecting sleeve for connecting the sections of the end members, one section of each end member having a notch at one end, and transversely extending locking means carried by each sleeve for iitting into said notches.

7. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of end frames, a tray supporting means comprising sectional end members adjustably mounted upon said end frames, each sectional end member comprising a plurality of sections, tray supporting rails carried by the sections, a connecting sleeve for connecting the sections o'f the end members, one section of each end member having a notch at one end, transversely extending locking means carried by each sleeve for tting into said notches, and tie rods extending between the tray supporting rails for holding the sections of the end members in anchored relation.

8. A device of the class described comprising a tray supporting means, a tray supporting rail carried by said tray supporting means, yokes slidably mounted upon said rail, a pivoted latching member carried by each yoke and having a depending end for firmly gripping the edge of a tray, a locking bolt carried by each latching member, the tray supporting rail being slotted for receiving the locking bolts, and removable means carried by the ends of the bolts for clamping the latch members in a locked position.

9. A device of the class described comprising vertically extending supporting tracks, a tray supporting frame slidably mounted upon said tracks, locking means carried by the tray supporting means for engaging the tracks and holding said tray supporting means in a vertical- 1y adjusted position upon said tracks, a pull means vertically adjustable with respect to said tray supporting means, a locking means carried by the tray supporting means and engaging the pull means for holding the pull means and tray supporting means in respective anchored relation, means for normally exerting a downward pull upon said pull means, means for holding said locking means against releasing action when said tray supporting means is released for sliding movement with respect to said tracks, and means for releasing the tray supporting means from locking engagement with said pull means.

ROBERT C. BURNLEY. 

